Folding crate.



No. 734,477. PATENTED JULY 21, 1903. E. G. SOLOMON.

FOLDING CRATE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 14, 1903.

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Patented July21, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

EMMETT G. SOLOMON, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO HENRYELVIDGE, on OMAHA, LINCOLN, NEBRASKA.

NEBRASKA, AND CHARLES F. WAY, OF

FOLDING .CRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 734,477, datedJ'u1y'21, 1903.

Application filed March 14-, 1903. Serial No. 147,306. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, EMM'ETT G. SOLOMON, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Omaha, in the county of Douglas and State of Nebraska,have invented new and useful Improvements in Folding Crates, of whichthe following is a full, clear, and exact 'description.

The present invention relates to certain novel and useful improvementsin shipping crates or boxes, and has particular application to articlesof this type commonly known as knockdown or folding crates.

In carrying out the present invention I have particularly in view soconstructing my improved crate that it may be folded into a very compactform for convenience in shipping hen empty, while the sides and ends ofsaid crate, which are hinged or joined to the base thereof in suchmanner that'they may be folded inward upon said base, are provided withmeans for sustaining and supporting the removable top of the crate whenthe box is in its erected or extended position.

A further object of my invention is to provide the crate (when used forshipping poultry) with stationary water and food receptacles, which areso arranged that'they shall in no way interfere with the foldingof thecrate.

' Another object is to so construct the crate that it shall embody theessential features of simplicity, durability, and inexpensiveness.

With these and other objects of a similar nature in View my inventionconsists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, asare described in this specification, delineated in the drawings, and setforth in the appended claim.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a perspective view of a crate embodying my improvements.Fig. 2 is a 1ongitudinal vertical sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 isa longitudinal vertical sectional view taken through the crate when inits folded or knockdown position. Fig. 4 is a transverse verticalsectional view of the crate in its foldied position." Fig. 5 is anenlarged sectional :view of one of the corners of the crate,illusrtrating the manner of supporting the sides and ends in theirupright positions.

.Referring to the accompanying drawings indetail, ldesignates the baseor bottom of the crate, which may be formed of a solid piece or may becomposed of a number of separated slats.

the bottom at both ends thereof are the boards or strips 2 and 3, whileasimilar transverselyarranged strip 4 is preferably arranged centrally ofsaid bottom. To the end strips 2 and Sand the central strip 4 areconnected the side strips 5 and 6,-which extend along the longitudinalside edges of the bottom.

The longitudinal sidesof the crate in the present instance are formed ofa number of standards 7, which are hinged to the transversely-extendi'ngstrips 2, 3, and 4 in such manner that they may be folded inward uponthe base or bottom of the crate, and these hinged strips or standardsare adapted to support a numberofislat's; as shown at 8, which slats, inconjunction with said standards,form the sides of the body; The endpieces of the Lcrate are formed in a similar manner-that is to say, ofa'number of strips 9, pivoted to the F side strips 5 and Gin such mannerthat they may also fold inward upon the base, said pivoted standardscarrying a number of horizontally-arranged slats 10. For the purpose ofconnecting the ends and sides when theparts are in their uprightposition the pivoted strips or standards forming a part of thelongitudinal sides are orificed or apertured, as at 11, to receive andseat a pin 12, carried by the adjacent pivoted standard of the endpiece. By this construction it will be seen that when the sides areextended laterally the pins on the pivoted end strips will entertheseapertures in the standards of the sides and the side and end pieces willbe securely locked against movement. g

The top or cover of the crate, which is designated by the numeral 13,Ihave shown in the present instance as formed of a number of slatsconnected by transverse strips or bars 14., which bars are providedwith'a number Extending transversely of of apertures 15, adapted whenthe cover is in position to form seats for and receive the reduced endportions or studs 16 of the pivoted standards of the end pieces and alsothe central pivoted partition 17, which partition is constructed in amanner similar to the ends of the body of the crate. In constructing thetop of the crate I preferably form the central longitudinal slat 18removable, and the portions of the transverse strips upon which thisslat is adapted to rest are grooved or cut away, as at 19, such cut-awayportions having apertures 20 extending therethrough, which aperturespermit the passage of the ends of the staples 21, secured to the slatsforming the body of the end portions of the body of the crate.

From the above description it will be seen that when the sides and endportions of the crate are in their set-up or extended position the topmay be placed thereon in such manner that the apertures in thetransverse strips thereof seat the reduced or end extensions of thepivoted standards of the ends and central partition, the staples 21protruding or extending through'the central elongated apertures in thetop in such way that the removable strip 18 may slip through the same,as is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 4, thereby looking the top upon thebody portion of the crate. When it is desired to fold the crate, theslat 18 is removed, and the ends, the central partition, and thelongitudinal sides are folded inward upon the base of the crate.Arranged centrally of the rigid transverse strips 2, 3, and 4 of thebase-frame of the crate are the short staples 22 of approximately thesame width as the large staples carried by the pivoted ends. After theends and sides have been folded as desired the top is placed upon thebody portion, as is shown in Fig. 4-that is to say, in such manner thatthe short staples 22 will extend through the elongated apertures in thecentral portion of the transverse strips of the top-and the removableslat 18 is then passed through these staples in such manner as tosecurely lock the top, and consequently the entire article is in afolded or knockdown condition, as is seen in Figs. 3 and 4.

\Vhen my improved crate is used for shipping poultry, I provide the samewith anumber of receptacles 23, which are secured to the transverse endstrips 2 and 3 in such manner that they will not interfere with thefolding of the crate and yet form a convenient means for supplying foodand water.

It will be evident from the above description that I have provided anextremely simple and convenient article and one in which the use ofhooks, screws, nails, or the like is done away with. The parts can be sofolded and locked in such manner that the liability of portions of thecrate being separated and lost is obviated, while at the same time thefreight charges for returning the empty crates are greatly reduced.

While I have herein shown and described one particular embodiment of myinvention, it is of course to be understood that I do not limit myselfto the precise details and construction shown herein,as there maybemodifications and variationsin certain respects without departing fromthe essential features of the invention or sacrificing any of theadvantages thereof.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent A knockdown crate comprising a baseboard, side stripsand end strips rigidly secured thereto, short staples secured centrallyin said end strips, hinged side portions and end portions adapted tofold inward upon said base-board, said end portions being provided withpins adapted to seat in apertures in the side portions, whereby thesides and ends are locked, relatively long staples secured to the innerside of said end portions, a hinged partition arranged transversely ofthe crate, a removable top for said crate having apertures therein, theconstruction being such that when the crate is in its extended positionthe apertures permit the passage of the relatively long staples, butwhen the sides and ends are in their folded position the aperturespermit the passage of the relatively short staples, said top havingsockets therein for seating studs formed on the hinged end portions, anda removable strip for locking the top on the body portion, and areceptacle mounted on said bottom boaJd, substantially as set forth. Intestimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

EMMETT G. SOLOMON.

Witnesses:

IRA v. REAsoNER, E. J. CLEMENTS.

